


Achilles, Come Down

by bells_n_roses



Series: Twilight experiments [3]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/F, Maid/Lady, Monarchy, Politics, Princess - Freeform, Tudor Era, Vampire takeover AU, is that a trope?? i feel like it is, literally this is just Twilight but gay and renaissance themed, slowburn if I have the patience
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26951677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bells_n_roses/pseuds/bells_n_roses
Summary: It's seventy one years since the Volturi took control of the world and divided up land between their allies. With technology and fashion reverted back to the time of the renaissance, humans are forced to fill the lower ranks of society and honour their vampire overlords. When Isabella Swan is sent to Washington to work as a maid in the castle of King Carlisle, she quickly becomes involved in the complicated family politics of the Cullen Royal family--and especially with the princess, Rosalie Hale.Yes, this is just because I like history and want to write about pretty dresses, sue me.
Relationships: Rosalie Hale/Bella Swan
Series: Twilight experiments [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956058
Comments: 68
Kudos: 104





	1. Achilles; or, the beginning of things

**Author's Note:**

> Right, so the Volturi took over in the 1950's everything ahs reverted back to the renaissance era, and vampires rule over countries as kings while the Volturi acts kind of like the Pope did in Rome. Enjoy!

Bella stepped one foot into the mud and winced. Her shoe--leather, with a hard wooden sole--was immediately buried in the muck, and she could feel the wetness of it through the leather.

"Hurry up, love, the weather's not gonna get any better," said the cart driver, and Bella frowned. She gritted her teeth and swung the other leg down from the cart, into the sludge of the castle courtyard.

The castle itself was tall and imposing, a monument of grey stone against the foreboding whitecapped mountains, and the courtyard was full of people scurrying from task to task like woodworms. Bella handed the driver a farthing and thanked him.

"What're you 'ere for anyhow, little miss?" he asked.

"I've come to work. My father is part of the chancery, and I'm to be a maidservant."

"I see." The driver pulled back on the reins. "Good luck with that, then, little miss. I hope you're up for the task." He clicked his teeth and the horse began to walk.

Bella pressed her hand to her the bag slung over her shoulder. Inside was the letter her father had sent, the one begging her to come down to court now that her mother had found work in Arizona. It was years since she'd seen him properly--he was always far too busy with his work at the chancery to make the long journey back to Phoenix--but Bella hoped to be happy when she saw him again. Family was important when it came to a place like the royal court.

"Oi, you!" came a voice from the crowd. 

Bella looked up to see a short, curly-haired girl run towards her with a basket of eggs balanced on her hips. Close behind was another girl, tall, with a pair of wire spectacles on the end of her nose. They were both human, and they were both staring at her. Bella felt her ears go red.

"Hello, there! I'm Jessica Stanley, and you're Isabella Swan, daughter of Mr. Charles Swan, right?" said the first girl. Her hair, like most of the servants in the courtyard, was pulled back beneath a linen cap, with a few curls managing to break free of their restraints.

Bella nodded.

"Great. We're here to run you through your duties and everything else. Just follow us to the room and then you can put down your things."

Jessica grabbed Bella's hand and dragged her through the courtyard, paying no attention to the mud. The taller girl laughed and called for her to slow down.

"But I want to get back before the end of Michael's break," said Jessica.

"We've plenty of time."

"Not if Cook has anything to do with it, Angela; I swear, if I have to peel one more potato--"

Angela turned to Bella and rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Jess, she's half in love with Michael, one of the errand boys."

"Am not!"

"Are too!" Angela laughed. "You'll be sharing quarters with us, by the way."

Bella nodded again and followed Jessica through the servant's entrance. The light inside was somehow even dimmer than the Washington gloom of the courtyard, and rushes were spread across the floor to catch the dirt they tracked in. Bella shivered. She didn't know how she'd ever get used to this kind of weather.

*

Her duties were long and complex. As a maidservant, Bella mostly assisted with the invisible tasks, the ones most nobles never got to see. She ran around with baskets of laundry, cleared out the hearths when no one was looking, and hid from Cook's ladle whenever she'd been caught slacking. Angela and Jess shared most of her tasks and they soon became fast friends--Jess joked about them 'trauma bonding', though Bella figured it had as much to do with the sheer amount of time they spent together. She was still shy, but it was hard not to trust somehow who slept in the same room, ate the same meals, and complained about the same Cook.

The first day was the hardest. The work was grueling, the hours were long, and the food was only slightly better than the meagre rations Bella was used to. When the sat down for dinner, the midday meal, Bella pushed her pottage around the bowl a few times before she could bring a spoonful to her lips.

"Are you gonna eat that?" asked Michael, the errand boy. A chunk of carrot and pottage water was smeared in the baby hair above his lip.

"Hands off, sirrah," said the Cook. He pointed his ladle at the boy and frowned. "I'm sure she's just savouring it--the girl knows not to insult my cooking."

Bella shoved the spoon into her mouth and swallowed quickly. "Yeah, yup, totally."

Jess snorted.

"Shut up Jess," said Angela. She patted Bella on the back as she chocked on sliced potato, having apparently swallowed too quickly. "You'll help me with lighting the afternoon fires, won't you, Isabella?"

Bella nodded even as her face turned red. When she'd stopped choking, the Cook was glaring at her yet again; Bella gave him a quick thumbs up and mouthed 'delicious'.

*

Lighting the afternoon fires was no small business. It required carrying a full basket of logs, plus the lighting things, up several flights of stairs, and going from room to room with it. They used the servant's stairs, which were narrower and out of sight, and provided passage to most of the rooms without going the same way as the nobles. Bella was glad of this, for, while she'd lived near many vampires in Phoenix, she'd never actually seen any up close. 

Angela was in charge of lighting the fires, while Bella did the grunt work of laying out the wood structures in the hearth. She also carried the basket, and moaned all the while.

As they got to the top of the next flight of stairs, Angela held her finger to her lips. "They can hear you now," she mouthed.

Bella nodded and Angela knocked on the closest door.

"Come in," said an ethereal voice.

Angela sighed and pushed open the door. On the other side was a lavish, expansive room, filled with more furniture and tapestries and little trinkets than Bella had ever seen. Her mouth dropped as she saw the heavy velvet curtains of the four poster bed, and the beautiful latticed windows on the other side of the room.

More beautiful than any of that, though, was the woman stood calmly by the bookcase. She was dressed in a dark blue, with a silver gabled hood and a long, silken train. Her hair, though mostly hidden, was a soft caramel colour, and her eyes were a startling gold. She smiled at the girls and beckoned them in.

"Your grace." Angela bent her knees and curtseyed deeply to the woman, and Bella quickly followed suit, wobbling under the weight of the log basket. The woman beckoned for them to rise.

"We've come to light the fire, your grace."

"I suspected as much. Don't mind me."

Bella could barely shift her eyes away from the woman as she turned back to the bookcase, absorbed in some book or another. Her skin was pale, paler even than the sugar cone she'd seen in the larder that morning, and there were dark bruises beneath her eyes. Despite this, the woman was utterly beautiful. Not a blemish or scar marked her face, no loose strand of hair escaped her hood, and her every feature was proportioned perfectly to the others.

Angela nudged her, and Bella knelt by the hearth. She began to build the nest of hay, then twigs, then logs, while Angela watched.

"Are you new?"

Bella jumped. The woman was no longer looking at her book and had instead come to stand near the fire.

"Sorry, dear, I didn't mean to startle you." The woman smiled. "I don't think I've seen you before."

Bella glanced anxiously at Angela, who gave her look that was obviously meant to mean something but was lost on Bella.

"Yes, your grace," she said eventually, "I began this morning."

"My, that is new. Have you worked in service before?"

"No, your grace."

"And how old are you?"

"Seventeen summers, your grace."

The woman seemed surprised by this, and Bella blushed.

"That's rather late to start." She said, though not unkindly.

Bella nodded. Most girls started as maids at twelve or so, and would remain in service until they were old enough to have a household of their own or to progress up the ranks. Bella was well aware how unprepared she was for the job, though she didn't want to make it obvious.

"Indeed, your grace. My father wished for me to be educated before, as I'm his only child." She said after a moment's hesitation.

The woman's eyes widened. "Educated?"

"Yes, your grace." Bella wanted nothing more than for this conversation to be over. "I can read and write, do arithmetic, and speak Latin."

The woman slid her book back into its place on the case. Angela, apparently unsurprised by the noblewoman's clear disregard for social decorum, had begun to stack the hearth herself.

"That is impressive," said the woman, "and a truly valuable skill. Education is very important."

Bella nodded. In the silence that followed, she went back to helping Angela. Within a few minutes a fire took hold, and, after watching to make sure the flames didn't die, they stood up to leave. The woman started, as though there was something she wanted to say, but then stopped, and the girls curtsied once more before the shut the door behind them.

As soon as they were out of earshot, which took a while given vampiric hearing, Bella turned to Angela.

"Who was that?" she demanded.

"The Queen Esme."

"And why was she...." Bella struggled to find the words.

"Like that?" Angela shrugged. "She just is. She's a bit... odd, I suppose, but way nicer than most of the court. She's the only noble who lets up do our job while she's in the room, and she always tries to make conversation."

"That's shockingly nice."

Angela made a silencing motion with her hand. "Shh, Isabella, you never know who's listening. The entire royal family is wonderful and incredibly noble, as are the rest of our patrons in the court."

"Right, of course."

"Now, come on. We've still got the lower floors to do."

*

The next day--about an hour before dawn, when Bella had stumbled out of bed and began the long list of tasks--they made the trek once again up the stairs to light the morning fires. The idea was to do it before the vampires 'rose', for, although they couldn't sleep, they only dressed and made their appearances in court during daylight hours. Bella and Angela were only two of the maids with this duty, but they still had plenty of rooms to do.

"Ugh, I'm so tired," said Bella, "I don't understand how you can be awake at this time."

"Practice." Angela smiled. "You get used to it pretty fast. I mean, you're already fitting in quite well with the rest of us."

"I guess."

Bella yawned and adjusted her grip on the log basket. Carrying it up so many flights of stairs was truly awful, and it got worse with each step. They passed a window, but it only showed the oppressive more clearly. It would be a long time before the sun rose.

They came to the Queen's quarter's first. Like the day before, Angela knocked, waited for the response, and they went in. The Queen was lying in bed, curtains undrawn, with an open book across her lap. Bella averted her eyes as they curtsied, as her majesty was only in her night shift, with an evening robe tied around her shoulders, but the Queen didn't seem to mind. Instead, she started a conversation with Angela about gardening, which seemed an odd thing for either of them to be interested in.

"Isabella, dear, would you mind coming over here?"

Bella started as the Queen gestured for her to stand at the foot of the bed. She obliged, cheeks bright red, and sent Angela a guilty look as she left her once again to do the kindling. 

"Read to me, will you?" The Queen handed her the book, still open to the right page, and looked on expectantly.

Bella began at the top of the page, struggling to keep the stammer out of her voice even as she felt the full force of the vampire's gaze. There was something electric about it, with the gold irises--bright as they were, bright as candlelight--fixed unwaveringly upon her. The words came to and fell from her lips without thought, with no trace of the story they told. Bella could think of nothing else but the sweat on her brow.

"Thank you, Isabella," the Queen said when she came to the end of the chapter. "I find it quite relaxing to hear someone read. The closest thing to sleep, I suppose."

Bella nodded and handed back the book. The fire was long since lit, and Angela was waiting by the door, her expression eager to leave and continue their job.

"Will you read for me again?" asked the Queen.

"If you will it."

"Then I shall send a note down to the housekeeper and ask her to relieve you of some of your duties."

Bella glanced back at Angela, unsure how to respond. "As you wish, your grace," she said eventually.

Later, she would find out that there was another maidservant, before Bella, who had read to the Queen while she rested. That maidservant was long gone, as were many of those who'd been servants during the last visit of the Volturi.

*

Before Bella knew it, the first week had passed. Jessica and Angela were now very firmly her friends, and even the Cook seemed slightly fond of her (though whether the Cook was truly fond of anyone was impossible to know). Michael and Eric, the errand boys, were friendly enough as well, and the group got up to plenty of mischief when no one else was around.

The days were still gloomy, of course. The clouds pressed in all around them, oppressively heavy, always a few minutes away from tipping out their contents and showering them with rain. It was a terrible contrast to her sunny homeland, but Bella dealt with the weather the same way she dealt with everything; she ignored it.

Her father, Charles, still hadn't been to see her. As a member of the King's Chancery, he had an important job--a busy job--but Bella was still hurt. She'd travelled for days just to work at the castle, and her father hadn't even said hello. This, like all her other problems, she ignored as long as she could, but, late at night, when the rats chewed at the hay beneath her and the moonlight shone on the stone floor, Bella couldn't help but wonder what he was doing. Perhaps he really was just busy.

On Monday evening, when Supper had been eaten and the mountain of goblets from upstairs were clean, Bella headed once more up the stairs to the Queen's chambers. It'd become a habit, one Jess was incredibly jealous of, for Bella to finish her chores early and go read to the Queen for an hour. She'd sit on the floor while her highness wrote a letter or did some other mundane task, or in a chair while the Queen laid down, and in the week that she'd been reading an entire book was already finished.

That evening, the Queen was sat by desk, waiting for Bella. She was in her night things, her ladies having already helped her out of the complicated farthingale and petticoats of her day dress, and her hair was curled loosely around her shoulders. It made sense that a servant would be the best person to read to her, as only a servant or lady in waiting could ever be permitted to see the Queen like that. If it weren't for her obvious vampirism, she would've looked normal.

"Ah, Isabella," said the Queen, "how glad I am to see you. My head is all a-buzz with planning." She selected a book from the shelf and handed it to Bella.

Bella took it and sat, cross legged, on the carpet. The book was simple enough to read, some tale of a heroic king, and she was soon so engrossed she barely noticed the Queen beside her.

"Hush a moment," said the Queen suddenly. She held up a hand.

"Come in," she called, and the door on the other side of the room opened.

It wasn't the little, out of the way, door the servants used, but the one meant for nobility. On the other side was a girl--a vampire--about the size of Jess, with spiky black hair.

"Mother," she said as she glided into the room with the same ethereal grace as the Queen, "I've been sent news of--"

She paused at the sight of Bella, on the floor, with a book in her lap. Bella froze, her heart beating double and skin itchy with nerves, as she realized that she was alone in a room with two vampires, and only one had even a slight interest in keeping her alive.

"Oh," said the other vampire, "you."

Bella stood up quickly, almost falling in her hast, and curtsied. She didn't know who the vampire was or what her title was, so she didn't address her at all and hoped it wouldn't be noticed.

"Alice, what is it?"

"News from Jasper, about the Denalis. He sent a letter." The other vampire--Alice--held up a piece of parchment. "I thought you might like to read it."

"Can it wait until tomorrow?"

"Yes, I suppose. Are you busy?" The last sentence was said with humour and a pointed look at Bella, who didn't know what she was meant to do. "Are you teaching her to read?"

The Queen shook her head. "She already knows how to. It's quite meditative to listen to, really."

"May I listen?"

"Of course."

Alice sat down and the Queen gestured for Bella to continue. With a wavering voice, Bella began again, unsure what to think about the vampire's apparent recognition of herself. Had she seen Alice before? It was unlikely, but there wasn't any other solution.

*

It three days before she saw the mysterious vampire again. The rain had let up for five minutes around midday and Bella had seized the opportunity to fetch the eggs she'd been avoiding since the drizzle started. She wasn't sure why a court full of mostly vampires needed eggs, but it apparently wasn't urgent enough for the housekeeper to notice they weren't collected yet. 

Bella darted out the servant's door and down to the chicken coops, where she quickly gathered the day's eggs. Farm work like this was perfect for Bella, who'd spent most of her childhood minding her mother's meagre land. She cooed at the chickens as she removed the little prizes, keeping them calm, and had her basket full in no time.

She balanced the basket against her hip as she hurried back indoors, away from the cold, and let her mind stray. She had yet to catch a glimpse of her father, Charles, and Bella was starting to worry that something was wrong. Perhaps she should write to her mother and get her advice.

Bella was yanked away from her thoughts when she collided with something hard. She stumbled backwards, catching herself just in time, and watched in horror as three of the eggs fell out of the basket and crashed into the ground. The gooey whites spilled out from the cracked shell and Bella fought the urge to swear.

"Are you alright?"

She looked up, recognizing the voice. It was Princess Alice, the Queen's daughter.

"Uh, yeah, your grace." Bella started. Then she realized it was the princess she'd smacked into. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, so sorry--"

"Don't worry yourself about it. Are you hurt?"

Bella shook her head. "No, your grace."

"Good. Isabella, isn't it? Isabella Swan?"

"Yes."

"Excellent." She seemed to be considering something, and her eyes had an odd faraway look to them. "You're just the person I was looking for."

"I am?"

The princess reached out a cold hand and grasped Bella's arm. "Yes, I need someone to run to my sister's room and fetch the Queen's handkerchief for me. Unfortunately Rosalie is busy or I'd just ask her."

Bella nodded. "Of course, your grace. Shall I do that now or...?"

The princess raised an eyebrow, as though surprised by her tone. "Now would be good, Bella. It's quite urgent."

"Right, of course." She curtsied awkwardly, nearly slipping on an egg shell, and disappeared back into the kitchens.

*

Bella pushed open the heavy wooden door as quietly as she could. The iron hinge creaked as she poked her head into the room and, happy that no one was inside, shut the door behind her.

The room was bigger than the whole of the servant's quarters, with an ornate four poster bed in the centre and a wide fireplace set into the wooden paneling. At the foot of the bed, itself draped in red curtains, was a carved trunk, inset with gold and purl decorations. Bella knelt before it and slid the key into the lock with shaky hands.

A click sounded and she lifted up the lid with a grunt. Inside was a collection of carefully folded clothes, mostly undergarments and favours, and Bella took a moment to slide her hands over the soft, clean cotton. The fabric was gentle against her skin, far nicer than her own linen and wool shifts.

"What are you doing?" said a voice behind her.

Bella whipped around, her eyes wide, to see the stony face of her grace, Rosalie Hale, the elder princess of the realm.

"Oh, my grace, I'm so sorry to have disturbed you, I'm on an errand for the Queen." Bella rushed to her feet, elbows skewing out at awkward angles, and did a lopsided curtesy.

"An errand? In my quarters?"

The princess raised a sharp eyebrow and Bella felt the blood rush to her face.

"To retrieve a gifted handkerchief, your grace. Her grace, the princess Alice, said it was quite urgent."

"Alice," the princess muttered, "I should have known."

"Should I come back later?"

"No, no. You won't need the handkerchief, though." The princess sat down in the chair next to the writing desk and gestured for Bella to come closer. "Let's get a look at you, then. What's your name?"

"Isabella Swan, my grace, daughter of Charles Swan, member of the King's Chancery."

"And your job is...?"

"Maidservant to the Queen, your grace."

"Right. Okay." The princess sighed. "Tell me, how well do you know my sister?"

Bella fidgeted with the hem of her apron. "We've only met in passing."

"On her visits to my mother?"

"Yes." Bella gulped. She was nervous at the best of times, but when stood across from an actual vampire and an actual member of royalty, she was basically useless.

"Tell me the truth. The whole of it."

"When she asked me to fetch the Queen's favour I didn't question it, your grace. Had you been in the room when I arrived I would have asked first."

The princess tapped her finger against the polished wood of the chair. Her dress was a brilliant red, the same shade as her lips, and her hair was lifted beneath an elegant veil and simple French hood. Her eyes--a gold even more startling than her sister's--bore into Bella.

"I'm not going to harm you, Isabella. No one can be blamed for Alice's meddling. I would appreciate it if you checked with the Queen first, however, before you did any more errands for her under Alice's orders."

"Of course, your grace. My apologies." Bella bowed her head. "May I please be excused now?"

The princess paused. She tilted her head slowly to the side, as if trying to understand some complicated puzzle, before nodding. "Yes, you may withdraw. Be on your way."

Bella let out a sigh of relief as she scurried out of the room and back to the servant's quarters.


	2. Whole and Unbroken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella meets Edward and befriends Alice. I have a lot of fun describing a church.

The darkness of their room was all consuming. No candles were lit, no tiny bit of sunlight was left from the day. The darkness was all there was, and yet, as she lay on top of the bed she shared with her friends, Bella couldn't help but laugh.

"Shush, Bella, you'll anger Cook!"

"He's halfway across the kitchens, Jess, there's no way he can hear us."

"I wouldn't put it past him. He's got a sixth sense for troublemakers like you."

Angela snorted. "I'd hardly call Bella a troublemaker."

"With what happened this afternoon, I think you should!"

Bella laughed again and swatted at Jess. The bed itself was just wide enough to fit them--maybe one more person, at a push--and it was made of simple canvass stuffed with straw. She'd been pretty surprised at it, and to see that they had a space pretty separate from the rest of the staff to sleep in. Of course, the room they were in was also the laundry room during the day, and the reason servants were separated was to make sure that, should any vampire 'slip up', then there'd be a limit to the amount of people eaten. At least in theory.

Still, it was nice. Bella was used to sharing a bed, and this one was far more comfortable than expected. Most grand houses didn't bother with beds for the likes of them.

"I don't understand why the princess wanted that handkerchief," said Angela.

Bella turned on her side so she could see the outline of Angela in the dark. "I'm not sure she did, Ange, I think she wanted me to get caught."

"That doesn't make any sense."

Bella shrugged before realizing that they couldn't see her. "That's just what it sounded like. From what the princess Rosalie was saying, I mean. She seemed to think it was a scheme of some sort."

"Like a trap?"

"I suppose. She didn't seem to think it was malicious."

Jess snorted. "Bella, honey, what could they want from you that you would be happy to give?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything about vampires, or royals, or whatever schemes they want me to play into. It was weird, though."

"You can say that again," said Jess.

Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of footsteps outside. They froze, fixed to the spot, until the noise receded and they were alone again

"Can you two please be quiet now," said Angela, "I actually need to sleep. We all do, actually. We're not vampires."

*

Michael, Bella decided, was a bit dense. He was smart enough when it came to horses, or social etiquette, but when it came to girls he had no idea. It was as though he took in all the information about a situation, computed it, and then spat out whichever answer was the most wrong. She was very glad it was her father, not Michael, who worked in the Chancery.

"Bella! Hey!" he called from across the kitchen.

Bella lifted up a hand to wave, but she was concentrating too hard on the cauldron in front of her to really respond. A fire blazed beneath it, filling the room with smoke, and a thick, chunky pottage boiled within. 

"What're you doing?"

"Helping Tyler. He's meant to be watching the cauldron." Bella stirred the pottage, watching as pieces of carrot and onion moved to the surface with each stroke of the ladle.

"Smells good."

"I didn't make it."

"Well, you didn't burn it."

Bella looked up briefly to see Michael stood only a few feet away. He rocked back on his heels and smiled in what might have been charming if she were any other girl. Unfortunately, blond boys with mud on their face weren't exactly Bella's type.

"I guess you're right," she said eventually.

There was an awkward pause as more steam blew up into Bella's face, painting it red with sweat and Michael brushed a lock of hair back under his cap. "I hear you had a run in with one of the royals."

"Did Jess tell you?" Bella frowned. "I'll murder her."

"Uh, yeah, she did. Said it was a wonder you weren't let go, or worse. Most people would've been put in the stocks for going through the princess's things."

"Yeah, well, I was on an errand. I'd rather not talk about it, Michael," she smiled, so he knew she wasn't angry. "The walls have ears, you know."

"Indeed." He paused, as if to say something else, but turned away at the last second. 

Bella's shoulders sagged with relief, and she reached up to brush the sweat from her brow. Hopefully Tyler would be back to take over soon.

*

That evening, Bella was already exhausted when she went to see the Queen. Her back was stooped from carrying baskets of damp clothes from the laundry to the line outside, and she felt as though she were pulling her legs up by puppet strings when she walked. She had no strength left, only sheer will power.

Nonetheless, an hour before her duties were done, Bella dragged herself up the stairs to the Queen's quarters. Cold numbed her toes, seeping through the castle's walls from the bitter rain outside. When she lifted up her hand to knock on the door, her fingers were blue.

"Come in, Isabella," said the Queen.

The warmth of the Queen's rooms was instantaneous; it hit Bella like a wall. She stood in the doorway for a second, just rubbing her hands together, before she came in properly.

"Oh, you poor thing, you look absolutely frozen!" The Queen stood up from her chair and reached out for Bella. "Come, sit by the fire."

Bella obeyed, though the sudden breach of social customs made her uneasy. She was a maidservant--the Queen wasn't meant to notice her, much less pay attention to her wellbeing. 

The fire, though, was warm, and in her half-asleep, half-frozen state, Bella didn't care enough to refuse.

"Would you like to choose what we read tonight?" The Queen smiled fondly, and Bella was reminded, suddenly, of her own mother.

"What would please your majesty best?" she said.

"If you chose."

Bella bit her lip. She stood up reluctantly and moved towards the book case. It was beautiful, like everything else in the room, with polished wood and intricate designs carved into the surface. The books, too, were enough to make anyone sit to attention--decorated leather covers in blue and red and brown, with silver and gold leaf embossed on the surface. The Cullen crest--a lion, a hand, three clovers--was stamped onto each spine, and they all seemed to be specifically catered to the Queen's interests. Bella couldn't imagine a husband so loving as to commission such a small fortune of books just for his wife.

Eventually, her finger found the ridged spine of a book of common poetry and pulled it out. The cover was green, and, when she opened it, Bella saw a short dedication the Queen. It had been collected by one of her sons, apparently.

"Ah, a good choice," the Queen said, "my son, Edward, recorded the poems from memory, and from hearing those sung at taverns and the like. He loves music, even that which comes from... less 'well-bred' sources." 

Bella nodded.

"Do you enjoy music, Isabella?"

"Uh, yeah, your grace. I prefer stories, though. You can take writing with you--you can keep it in your pocket, and it doesn't change unless you want it to."

"Very true."

Bella flicked to the first page of text, where the story of some noble thief was printed in neat verse. "Do you wish me to start?"

"Please."

Bella began, the words more even than they had been the week before. It wasn't easy, but she was gradually getting used to the eerie way vampires made you feel. The Queen sat absolutely still--even when she moved, it was with the same fluidity as a painting, as though you were watching the pretense of movement instead of the real thing. Despite this, Bella was almost comfortable; she was as comfortable as she could be while working, while in the presence of a royal, and while in real danger of becoming food.

She was halfway through the poem when the knock came. She paused as the Queen let in the visitor--the princess Alice--and as they sat together by the fire.

"Hello, Bella!" said the princess.

"Your grace." Bella stood and curtsied.

"You don't need to be so formal, Bella, we're going to be great friends."

Bella's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open, even as the princess smiled. Her hands, now sweaty, fidgeted with the hem of her apron and she turned to look at the Queen, to gauge her reaction. Bella wasn't sure if this act of impropriety would be blamed on her or not.

Surprisingly, the Queen laughed. "Careful, Alice, you'll give her a heart attack." She turned to Bella with a smile. "Don't worry, Alice can see the future. She says you'll both be very close very soon."

If Bella had known what to say, she still would've been unable to speak from the sheer surprise. There really was nothing like a vampire to put your whole worldview into question.

"I'm sorry--I don't--your grace...?"

"Honestly, Isabella, I've just learnt to accept whatever she says. There's no point betting against Alice."

"It's true!"

Bella sat back down, her legs crossed beneath her. How could she be friends with the princess? With a vampire--a royal one at that? It betrayed every social rule she knew; it did away with the whole great chain of being!

"I've been talking to Edward," said Alice, her voice light and airy.

"Oh?" said the Queen.

"He doesn't want me to talk to Bella. Says it's improper, and dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"He thinks I'll eat her."

Bella stilled and dropped her gaze to the carpet in front of her. It was best not to remind them of her presence if they were going to discuss her eatable-ness.

"Alice, your restraint is excellent, but you don't need me to tell you that," the Queen said kindly. She reached down and patted Bella's knee. "Don't worry, we're vegetarians." She said with a smile and a tap to her nose.

"Vegetarians?"

"We don't drink human blood."

Bella furrowed her eyebrows. "I didn't know that was possible."

"It's difficult, but not impossible." The Queen lent back in her chair. "It allows us to form a cohesive court, and it's more humane, if you'll pardon the joke."

"Right."

"You're perfectly safe with us," she added, her eyes trying to convey the supposed truth behind her words.

"Of course, your grace." Bella said, though she seriously doubted it. No one was safe at court, much less some unconnected, impoverished human maid. "If you don't need me, shall I take my leave?"

"No, Bella, don't," said Alice, "stay for a while. Let's talk."

*

That was the beginning of something truly odd. At first, Bella didn't know how to deal with it--how could she? Nothing in her life had prepared her for the complex machinations of family politics that she'd unwittingly walked into, and there wasn't exactly a handbook for befriending the daughter of your local vampire monarch, either.

Instead, she had to figure out what to do by herself. The first few times Alice spent the evening by the Queen's side were awkward, and Bella lived by the 'seen and not heard' rule as much as she could. After some gentle prodding, though, when she knew it wasn't a trick, she began to open up. Little by little, she dropped the formality and respect markers she was used to and talked, once or twice, without being prompted. Every time she did, the warmth in the room was fueled not by the fire, but by the reactions of those around her.

A week later, Bella was in the Queen's chamber, sat by the fire while she mended a hole in her stockings. A book was laid carefully on the carpet beside her, and the Queen and Princess were both sat nearby, talking about some court gossip. Bella listened in, her mind divided between their conversation and her work. 

"There's been quite an upset in Italy," said Alice, "or, rather, there will be."

"What do you mean?"

"An attempt will be made on Lord Marcus's life--by one of his grooms, no less."

Bella looked up. She'd grown almost used to Alice's ability to predict the future--uncanny as it was--but predictions of a thunderstorm were hardly the same as the prediction of some lord's death. She didn't know who Lord Marcus was, but a vampire's death was so rare that there hadn't been one in her lifetime. This was one hell of a prediction.

The Queen gasped, her eyes wide. "Does it fail?" she asked.

"Yes." Alice's face was blank, her eyes elsewhere as she scanned the future for possibilities. "But it'll send the Italian court into an uproar, and the rest of the world."

"I can imagine. Will we need more safeguards?"

Alice nodded. "I think... I think we have a lot of trust in our court. Maybe too much."

Bella pulled on her darning needle and watched it pull the wool upwards; tightened, taut, ready to snap. In such close proximity to the royal family, she wasn't safe.

*

Sundays were spent mostly in church. Although the King was religious, most vampires tended to avoid the pomp and ceremony of religious services, so the church, grand as it was, held mostly humans that morning. Mass was a time to rest and be warm indoors, and, to Bella and her friends, it was a rare few hours off work.

The chapel itself was a tall, arched building, connected to the side of the castle. Wooden pews lined each side, and at the far end was a grand altar, decorated with gold and intricate portraits of the saints. A marble baptismal font was elevated on steps at the back of the church, near the basins of holy water built into the wall, and clouds of incense filled the air as the priest walked up and down, his footsteps ringing out against the stone floor.

A great hush settled amongst the worshippers. Words of prayer fell softly from their lips as, row by row, they fell to their knees, hands clasped and held upwards to Heaven. Once, Bella's mother had told her that devotion was not found in the ecstasy of religion--the strong emotion that the priests claimed to have--but in moments when your lips were numb from the repetition of prayer, and your knees were chapped from kneeling. Saint's knees, she called them. Renee wasn't the type of person to do things by half measures, though Bella often wondered whether she was really as devout as she said she was.

Beside her, Jess fidgeted. She knelt atop a prayer cushion, carefully embroidered with an ichthys fish, and was probably bored out of her mind with the service. Bella smiled as Jess huffed. She could--and likely would--complain about the service as much as she liked, but it was a welcome break from the week's work.

They rose back to their seats as the priest settled in the pulpit to deliver his sermon. As he spoke, delivering his message of good will and honesty, Bella looked around the chapel. They were in the back rows, naturally, and in front were the higher ranking servants and a handful of lesser nobility. As she scanned the room, Bella caught the eye of someone else. A vampire.

She froze under his gaze; his eyes were coal black--abyssal in their depth--and his face was twisted into a mask of pure hatred. As she locked eyes with him, he sneered. Bella looked away, but still she could feel his eyes on the back of her neck.

The boy--the vampire--was tall and lanky, with metallic red hair and the usual pallid skin and dark smudges beneath the eyes. When she snuck another look, Bella saw the silk hat and fine doublet and hose which told her his rank--he was a high court official, or maybe a member of royalty. 

"Hey, Bella," Jess hissed, as though the vampires in the room somehow couldn't hear her, "the prince is looking at you."

Prince? Bella deflated. Whatever she'd done to offend him, there was no way her life wasn't now forfeit. It was no secret the dukes of the court liked to snack on their own disobedient servants, but the King's employees were off limits--except, of course, to himself and his heirs.

"Yeah, I know," she whispered back. 

Jess bit her lip, a wide, frightened look in her eye. "Do you think--"

She was interrupted as the door behind them slammed shut. They both jumped, heart beating straight out of the chest, and turned to look. The prince was gone. 

Bella sighed with relief. Perhaps her number wasn't up just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Sup, my dudes! This is immediately shorter than I promised last chapter, but it's also out within less than a week, so I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. By and large, the stuff I mention is historically accurate (you can tell when it's not because I'll explain in the text--for instance, the servant's sleeping arrangements), but some stuff I struggled to match when it came to accuracy. Like, the Tudor's were super religious, but Bella canonically isn't, and that was tough to reconcile. 
> 
> On a side note, old churches are beautiful--the chapel Bella goes to is based on a church near me, but the most beautiful one I ever saw was in Rome. It was a very small one, not meant for tourists or pilgrims or whatever, but honestly I preferred it to the Vatican. There was a really neat gold painting of a dove.
> 
> Please give me some serotonin with comments if you liked this chapter. I am but a humble writer-thing, fed with feedback, alas, alas.  
> Also, if there's anything you'd like to see, drop a line. The plot is so vague as to be non-existent at the moment, so I can totally fit in a cool scene or whatever if I like the idea. 
> 
> Btw, the name of this fic is from the song Achilles, Come Down by Gang of Youths. Worth checking out, especially if you like Dark Academia and Greek myths. Bit depressing, though, and quite long. The violins are lovely, and the singing is great.
> 
> Anyway, I've rambled on long enough. Hope you like this chapter and have a great day xx


	3. Absent of Cause or Excuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Some) of the maids get a promotion, Bella and Alice are friends now, and I get to describe how Tudor dresses work.

"Did you hear the news?" Jess flew into the laundry room, her cheeks red with running.

Bella looked up from her washboard, eyebrow raised. "Your cap's coming off," she said, "and your hair's all loose."

"I know, I was in a rush." Jess lent her arm against the beam of the doorframe. "Did you hear? Did Michael tell you?"

"Tell us what?" Angela asked.

"There's been a new decree--new safety measures for the royal family. Apparently some noble in Italy got bitten and now they're getting rid of vampire help within the royal's chambers."

Bella sucked in a breath. "What do you mean, getting rid of vampires?"

"You know the all the Queen's ladies in waiting?"

"Yes."

"They're gone--dismissed--just regular members of the court now. It's apparently too dangerous for them to be tending to the royal family by themselves, since they're actually capable of killing each other, so they're to be replaced with humans."

Bella lowered the washboard and wiped her soapy hands on her apron. Alice was right, but she hadn't mentioned this--how could humans take on such an influential role? Surely it would cause an uproar within the court.

Angela, who was carrying a basin of hot water, wobbled as she crossed the room. "How do you know all this?"

Jess grinned. "Cook told me. He said he'd been asked for recommendations to fill the roles left free, and he gave all of our names."

"Us," Angela gasped, "serving the royal family?"

"Yup."

"I think I feel sick."

Jess laughed. "Oh, shush, Ange. This is probably the best opportunity we'll ever get--can you imagine us as lady's maids? We'll feel so elegant."

"We'll still be servants."

"So?" Jess dropped her voice. "I bet we'll all be married within the year. With _royal _influence we could marry any boy we like."__

__The door slammed as the laundry mistress reentered the room, her eyes stern. "What's going on here?" she demanded, "have you all been struck with bone-idle disease?"_ _

__Bella jumped back into action, grabbing a wet shirt from the washing bucket and heaving it up against the washing board. "No, ma'am," the girls chorused._ _

__"Good." She nodded. "This isn't a mother's meeting--Jessica, what are you doing here?"_ _

__"Nothing," Jess squeaked, and promptly disappeared._ _

__*_ _

__That evening, Bella made the trek up to the Queen's chamber with trepidation in her steps. She fingered the edge of her sleeve, dredging up the courage to ask her questions. When she reached the door she was welcomed in before she had to knock, and she didn't bother to curtsey when she saw the Queen._ _

__"May I ask you something?" she said, voice soft._ _

__The Queen looked up, eyes soft with surprise. She was wearing a silky purple dress with a long train; the sleeves were a genteel lilac, with the bodice and skirt deepening to a colour like crushed grapes, and pearls lined each hem. "Of course, Bella," she said._ _

__"Is it true that you're to dismiss all your lady's maids?"_ _

__"Yes, my dear--it's a risk Alice isn't willing to take, and we never bet against her."_ _

__Bella nodded. The firelight flickered and picked out the gold of the Queen's eyes. "Who's to replace your lady's maids?" she asked, after a moment._ _

__The Queen smiled. "Well, there are rather a lot to replace, but most of your friends are to be in either my or my daughters' service. I believe Angela and Jessica will both be under me."_ _

__"What about me?"_ _

__"If you're willing--" Bella wasn't sure how far 'willing' really went-- "you'll be the lady's maid of my daughter, the princess Rosalie."_ _

__"Oh."_ _

__Princess Rosalie. The one who looked just about ready to snap Bella's neck the last time she saw her. That princess Rosalie._ _

__Bella bit her lip. Would the princess really want a human lady's maid? The only time Bella had met her she'd been proud and stony, the complete opposite of her mother and sister._ _

__"Do you object?" asked the Queen._ _

__Bella shook her head. "Oh, no, your majesty, it'll be an honour." She crossed the room to the bookcase and ran her hands along the spine of some random tome. "An absolute honour."_ _

__"Excellent! Do you know where her rooms are?"_ _

__"Yes," said Bella._ _

__"Good. I'm sure the housekeeper will tell you everything you need to know then, sweetheart. The sooner you start the better--can't be too safe, can we?"_ _

__Bella nodded. Outside, the rain fell softly against the window, like fingers carding through hair. It was the gentlest rain she'd seen in Forks, but the gloom was hard to escape nonetheless._ _

__The Queen stepped towards her. "Are you worried?" she asked._ _

__There was no point in lying, not when she could hear Bella's heartbeat._ _

__"Yes," Bella said._ _

__The Queen placed a hand carefully on her arm. "Don't be. Rose can be... intimidating, but she has a good heart, and she won't treat you unfairly. I have absolute trust in both of you."_ _

__"Of course, your majesty," said Bella. She didn't miss the frown on the Queen's face. Her heartbeat had sped up._ _

__*_ _

__It was dark, and cold, and there was a rat somewhere in the room. Bella rolled over, groaning, and tried to go back to sleep._ _

__"Wake up, sleepyhead," said Angela, "you've got work to do!"_ _

__The blanket was yanked away from her, giving the cold free reign to bite at her bare legs and turn her toes numb. Bella shivered. "I hate you," she said._ _

__"Hey, I'm the main reason you don't get dismissed."_ _

__"Five more minutes..."_ _

__Jess laughed. "If you want to leave the princess waiting for five more minutes, then there's something wrong with your brain."_ _

__Bella blinked once, then twice, before finally rolling out of bed. She groaned as she dressed, rubbing the sleep from her eye as she laced up her bodice and tied the cap around her hair. It was too dark, and cold, and early for any of this nonsense, and yet it had to be done._ _

__As they fumbled out of the room, Angela took Bella's arm. "Are you excited?"_ _

__"Not particularly."_ _

__"Misery guts," Jess whispered, "you wouldn't know good fortune if it bit you on the nose."_ _

__Bella shrugged. It was all very well them being excited--they only had to deal with the Queen, who was so good natured it was almost queer--but Bella had drawn the short straw with princess Rosalie. Anxiety was the only thing she felt. Well, that and cold._ _

__They made their way to the kitchen, where Cook had just woken up, and arranged the break-fast trays with sleepy-eyed care. A pitcher of blood, warm and fresh enough that it didn't smell too bad, a goblet, and a linen handkerchief by the side. Bella wrapped her hands around the metal handles of the tray; it was a slow, steady movement to lift it from the kitchen table to her arms, and she teetered ever so slightly as the weight shifted her centre of balance. When she ready, she stepped forwards._ _

__Carrying anything up the stairs was always a challenge. The steps wound upwards in a corkscrew fashion, and the space was too cramped for navigation to be easy. What's more, she didn't have a candle, and, as Bella parted from her friends, she felt as though she were being sucked into the darkness._ _

__When she reached the top of the stairs, she lifted her hand up slowly to knock._ _

__"You may enter," said the honey smooth voice on the other side of the door._ _

__Bella opened the door, her heart still caught in the throat of the shadows outside. The room was exactly as she remembered it; paneled walls, thick carpets, and a bed to rival all but the Queen's. Sat by the window, her head against the glass, was the princess--a monument to earthly perfection if ever you saw one. In the half light of the candles, she wore only her shift, and her hair lay unbraided around her shoulders._ _

__"Your grace." Bella crossed her ankles together and stooped into a curtsey._ _

__The princess looked up. "Isabella, isn't it?"_ _

__Bella nodded._ _

__"Come in." The princess beckoned her into the room._ _

__Cautiously, Bella obeyed; she stepped out of the dark stairway and into the warmth of the princess's room with only the slightest bit of dread. The princess watched as she did so, an unreadable expression on her face._ _

__"I don't want you here," she said_ _

__"Oh," Bella winced, "shall I leave...?"_ _

__"No," said the princess, "it's not your fault. As much as I might like to, I can't blame you for my sister's meddling. Would you pour the pitcher?"_ _

__"Of course, your grace." Bella set her tray down on the side table next to the princess's chair. With a shaking hand, she lifted the pitcher up and poured out the blood. When the goblet was full, she handed it to the princess. "I thought it was the Queen's will that I serve you," Bella said._ _

__The princess raised an eyebrow at her impertinence, but didn't address it. Bella had gotten too used to the casualness of Alice and the Queen._ _

__"No," she said, "though I think she was glad when Alice suggested it--not that she won't miss you, of course, I'm sure she'll miss you a lot--"_ _

__"Then what do you mean, your grace?"_ _

__"It's none of your concern."_ _

__Bella flinched when she heard the tone of her voice, even though the princess didn't move a muscle. With ice in her voice and fire in her eye, the princess didn't have to do anything to be intimidating._ _

__"My apologies, your grace," Bella said, eyes wide._ _

__The princess nodded, her lips tight._ _

__*_ _

__Bella often wondered what the vampires did when the servants slept. She knew there were some servants--jokingly called the Night Guard--who slept during the day and worked at night, but whenever she saw the nobles in the evening they were undressed, and, that morning, the princess was in sleep things, as though she'd spent the night in bed._ _

__It was nearly six o'clock, and the sun, though still hidden, was beginning to rise behind the mountains. The next of Bella's duties, once she'd served the break-fast and rekindled the fire, was to help the princess get dressed. First, she fetched the stockings, petticoats, and other undergarments from the chests and wardrobes were they were kept, and brought them into the main room._ _

__The princess already had her shift on, so Bella knelt before the princess, stockings in hand. Carefully, she slid a stocking up the princess's leg. Her fingers grazed over the pale, icy skin as she pulled the stocking, unsure how to do it properly. Bella had helped her mother dress before--and Angela and Jess--but this was different. This was the princess._ _

__Her hands trembled as she took the garter and looped it around the top of her thigh. The princess looked on, bored, as Bella pulled the strap tight around the stocking, securing it in place, and flattened the buckle against the wool. She repeated the movements, hands feather like in their hesitancy, and fastened the garter on her other leg._ _

__When Bella stood, she couldn't help but acknowledge that the princess was beautiful. Even in her most casual dress, in the flickering light of the fireplace, the princess was like something out of a fairytale. Her hair was made from the same gold spun by a trickster out of sunlight, her eyes were pulled from the depths of a dragons hoard--her figure, all curves and smooth lines, was the type that poets wrote about. It was pity she was a vampire, really. In another life, Bella might have liked to be friends._ _

__"Hand me the petticoat, will you?" said the princess._ _

__"Of course, your grace." Bella gave her the petticoat--red silk-- and ducked behind her to fasten the straps. She tied a bow around the princess's waist, fingers just as shaky as before, and then went to fetch the kirtle. It was a vibrantly purple silk, with deep onyx swirls sewn all over the skirt and a bodice stiffened with reeds._ _

__Bella lifted the kirtle up and the princess slipped it over her head. When it was sat neatly over the petticoat, Bella threaded the laces through and tightened them--the kirtle gave the princess a beautiful conical shape, with a smooth front for the gown, and Bella couldn't help but let her fingers ghost across the back of the satiny fabric. It truly was beautiful._ _

__"Careful," said the princess, "it's delicate."_ _

__"I know."_ _

__Bella helped her into the gown--which was a lighter violet than the kirtle, and had wide, fur lined sleeves--and threaded up the spiral lacing of the forebody. The forebody sat directly on top of the princess's chest, and Bella could see the rise and fall of shoulders with each breath._ _

__"Is it too tight?" she asked._ _

__The princess smiled, and Bella had to look twice to make sure she wasn't imagining it. "No, I won't be hurt by it, Isabella."_ _

__"Right."_ _

__She took the placard--a piece of fabric attached to the bodice of the gown--and pinned it across the front to hide the laces. With that done, the girdle--a long belt to fasten everything in place--was next, and then the sleeves. Bella helped to pin each of the lacy cuffs, and then the body of the sleeves, to the princess's arms. Each piece was beautiful--far too intricate, with so many tiny details that Bella couldn't catch them all with her flawed human eyes._ _

__When she stepped back, Bella sucked in a breath._ _

__"You look wonderful, m'lady," she said._ _

__The princess hummed. "Will you fetch my hair brush?"_ _

__"Of course, your grace."_ _

__As Bella went to grab the hairbrush from the nightstand, her feet twisted beneath her and she fell, face first, to the floor. In a moment, the princess was there, offering a cool hand to help her up. Bella took it tentatively._ _

__"You're very clumsy, aren't you?" said the princess._ _

__"Unfortunately."_ _

__The princess looked Bella up and down, as if taking in every uneven hem and stray hair. "And your curtsey could use work," she said._ _

__Bella felt the heat rising to her skin. "I've not had much practice, m'lady."_ _

__The princess's face was blank and unreadable. "I can see that."_ _

__*_ _

__Sometime after midday, Bella was sent to fetch wood for the fire. As she left the princess's chambers, she ran head first into Alice._ _

__"Careful, there," Alice laughed, "we can't have a repeat of the egg incident."_ _

__"You're the one on the servant stairwell."_ _

__"I was hoping to see you."_ _

__Bella snorted. "Do you miss me already?"_ _

__"You wish." Alice playfully poked her in the stomach._ _

__"Hey, leave off." Bella batted her hand away. "I'm busy."_ _

__"Doing what?"_ _

__Bella sighed and gestured to the door leading to the princess's chambers. "Tending to your sister, obviously. Who knew her ladies did so much work?"_ _

__Alice shrugged. "To be fair, there were three of them before, and there's only one of you."_ _

__Bella crooked her head to the side. "Three?" she demanded, "how can I do the work of three vampires."_ _

__"Don't worry, they were mostly for companionship, and she didn't really like any of them."_ _

__Bella dropped her voice to a whisper. "I don't think she likes me very much, either."_ _

__Alice laughed. "You'll be fine. She's not as scary as she looks."_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, very short, I know, but also very quick from my last update.  
> With this chapter I've taken a very big leap from historical accuracy, specifically with ladies-in-waiting--under no circumstances would a maid be promoted to the position of lady-in-waiting, nor would there only be one of them, but I decided to draw on Victorian lady's maids for this because... well, because I want to!  
> Also it serves my (very vague) idea of the plot.  
> I hope you like this chapter, and that you have a great day :)


	4. Wholly Unworthy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella and Rosalie take a walk around the garden.

There were a few things Bella noticed when it came the princess--things she was certain of, in her own way.

The first was that the princess was private. There were never any friends or family in her chambers when Bella was there, and Bella was there most of the day. When she arrived the second morning of her service, just before daybreak, to do her lady's hair and help her dress, there was no indication of any late night visitor, or husband or friend.

"Are you married?" Bella had asked, as she tightened the garter around the princess's thigh. 

The princess stilled. "That's none of your concern, Isabella."

"Right. Sorry, my lady."

Private was a bit of a understatement.

The next thing Bella noticed to be true was that, despite this, the princess was actually pretty kind. When Bella fumbled with the laces of kirtle that morning, the princess hadn't complained, and when it took her a while to light the fire because her hands were numb from cold, the princess leaned down to do it herself. It was strange--not as strange as the Queen, or Alice, for that matter, but Bella still couldn't wrap her head around it.

She'd kneeled there, stiff and frozen solid, as the princess kneeled beside her and stuck her hands in the grate, as if it were the most dignified thing in the world. For a long moment, they'd been there side by side, and all Bella could do was stare at the strangeness of it all.

*

She thought a lot about the princess that night, about all the little intricacies of her character. She was hard and cold, but, like her family, refused to drink human blood; she was conscious of her beauty, but she wasn't vain--Bella turned the contradictions over in her mind as the hours ticked by, unable to get to sleep.

With winter setting in, the nights were getting longer and the chill of the servant's quarters was getting worse. Each night, a bitter, frigid cold stole over the laundry room where Bella slept and settled on top of her, as if claiming her bones. The dark was now all encompassing, thick and heavy as treacle, and it only worsened the freeze. She was alone, now, and all the colder for it.

In those long hours, Bella couldn't help but be jealous of Angela and Jess, who'd moved their quarters when they became lady's maids. It was traditional for lady's maids to sleep in the same quarters as their lady, but the princess had never asked, and now Bella was all alone in the cold and the dark.

By the time morning broke, she was even more exhausted than when she'd gone to bed. Her fingers were as stiff as her back, and her eyes were heavy and leaden. When she'd stuffed her hair back under her cap, only half of it had gone in, and Bella couldn't find it in herself to care. It wasn't like the princess would care--how could she, when most of the people she saw were vampires, far surpassing Bella in neatness and just general beauty.

Of course, Bella had been wrong.

"It's only the third day," the princess had said, "and you're already a mess."

Bella shrunk into herself. "Sorry. It's hard to get it right in the dark, especially when I'm so cold."

The princess eyed her for a second, as if taking in the dark purple bruises--so similar to her own--beneath Bella's eyes, and the shaky redness of her chilblained fingers. The princess sighed.

"Sit. Let me do it for you."

"My lady..."

"Don't argue."

She gestured to the chair by her closet and Bella sat, her ankles folded awkwardly over each other, as the princess came up behind her. Carefully, she untied Bella's cap and set it aside so she could work on the fraying bun at the nape of Bella's neck. 

Bella shivered at the princess's cool touch, but she didn't say anything. A shiver passed over her spine and she watched the princess wince; suddenly, all Bella wanted to do was tell her that she wasn't scared. Not really. Just surprised.

The princess tucked a strand of loose hair behind Bella's ear and withdrew.

"There you are," she said.

"Thank you."

"We can't have you looking like just anybody now, can we?" the princess said.

*

Bella didn't realize just how much time she would spend with the princess when she first began--she'd never known a lady's maid, after all. How was she meant to know that their primary responsibility was _not _running errands or lighting fires, but to be a companion? To someone whose family had never employed anyone, it seemed nonsensical to pay a person just to hang around.__

__Nonetheless, Bella did it, and she did a good job. She sat with the princess when she was away from court, wanting quiet, and watched the apparent exhaustion as it overcame her. Vampires weren't meant to get tired, but the princess always looked like she was half dead whenever she had to talk to an ambassador, or some other high ranking official._ _

__"Don't you like the court?" Bella asked that afternoon._ _

__Rosalie smiled. "I don't like people."_ _

__"Oh." Bella fidgeted with the hem of her skirt._ _

__"You're fine, though, Isabella. I don't mind you."_ _

__*_ _

__As the hush of evening clouded the window, the princess returned from a meeting with her mother. She slammed the door behind her, anger sewn deep into the lines of her face, and gestured to Bella._ _

__"I want to go on a walk."_ _

__Bella frowned. "Okay?"_ _

__"With you."_ _

__"Oh." She stood up, suddenly understanding. A lady never went for a walk unaccompanied, and that was the whole point of a lady's maid. Bella dropped the darning she'd been doing and grabbed the princess's fur stole from the wardrobe._ _

__"Don't bother with it," the princess said._ _

__"You might get cold."_ _

__"We don't... we don't get cold, Isabella." The princess smiled, her forehead scrunched in confusion. "But it's thoughtful of you--you don't know much about vampires, do you?"_ _

__Bella shrugged. "I guess not. It's not like anyone sits you down and explains the rules."_ _

__The princess shook her head. "No, they don't."_ _

__They made their way down the great stairs, the ones reserved usually for nobles. Bella tensed as they passed each corridor, expecting a vampire to appear any second, but nobody saw them._ _

__The gardens around the castle were wide and lush, full of strange and beautiful plants--at least, they were in the day time. So close to night, though, and Bella couldn't tell one bush from the next, especially in the maze. It wound round and round, with sharp corners and dead ends, and every time the leaves were rustled by the wind, Bella jumped._ _

__Luckily, the princess took her arm when they entered, and she didn't let go._ _

__"Distract me, Isabella," she said, her voice purposely soft._ _

__"How?"_ _

__"Tell me something."_ _

__Bella paused. She glanced up at the princess, who was staring straight ahead, her expression firm despite the gentleness of her voice, and she picked the easiest thing to talk about._ _

__"Most people don't actually call me Isabella, you know," she said._ _

__The princess raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"_ _

__"They call me Bella. You know. As a nickname."_ _

__"Should I call you Bella, then?" The princess asked, her voice peaked with idle curiosity._ _

__Bella shrugged. "If you want."_ _

__"If I do, then you must call me Rosalie. It's so tedious to hear all the titles every time we speak."_ _

__Bella tilted her head. That was... unexpected. The princess's face was blank, of course, and still staring straight ahead. "Of course, your majesty," said Bella._ _

__"Rosalie."_ _

__"Right. Rosalie."_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, this is super short, and I've been gone super long. What can I say? I'm applying to university and attempting not to fail all my subjects, and while I really love this fandom (this ship specifically) I'm just too tired most of the time. Anyway, please comment your thoughts (I'm always looking to improve) and I hope you have a great day, and stay safe.   
> B xx

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I don't know what to tell you except that I'm super stressed about college and stuff and I need the serotonin that Tudor fashion and vampires give me. I'll probably update this sporadically (like I do with all my other fics, lol) because I want the word count for individual chapters to be pretty long. This is like,,, 4000 words I think? Longer than in any of my other fics, that's for sure. It's also loosely based on a fic I wrote when I was 12 but have since lost to the depths of the internet. I changed a bunch of things, but the concept is basically the same.  
> I hope you enjoy this odd little AU. If you feel like giving me some more serotonin, please comment. I love reading what you think, it makes me happy.


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